Lehmann Maupin’s Booth at Frieze 2018 focuses on works by OSGEMEOS

London Frieze Art Fair 16th edition just ended this evening in London. Around 160 galleries from across the world came to the capital and attracted a huge international audience.

The street art twins from Brazil, OSGEMEOS, presented numerous pieces at Lehmann Maupin’s booth. Lehmann Maupin’s presentation at Frieze 2018 focused on works by the Brazilian artist duo. A lifelong collaboration between twin brothers Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo, OSGEMEOS have built an international reputation based on a figurative style that typically features their signature yellow characters and intricately patterned designs. New and recent paintings and sculptures will be shown at Frieze.

Similar to the surrealist artists of the early 20th century, OSGEMEOS seek to defy conventions and push boundaries in art and society through the unbridled exploration of the subconscious and imagination. In direct contrast to the surrealist notion of a solitary dream space, however, the twins have described a shared intuition and subconscious experience that is translated visually through their collaborative process.

Music is also a strong influence on OSGEMEOS, from the folk festivals they attended as children, where they first absorbed a myriad of Brazilian cultures, and later, early hip hop of the 1980s that inspired their art trajectory, which originated with graffiti. For OSGEMEOS, the 1970s and 1980s was an influential time of discovery and sharing; the improvisational structure, descriptions of everyday life on the streets, and bravado in sharing these stories that this golden age of hip hop fostered is intrinsically linked to their practice. Their homage to this period is evident in works like You Are My Guest (2016), and in their sculptural works, which often incorporate audio components.